Police believe a vulnerable man was “cuckooed”, after they found a starter pistol, knives and class A drugs at his Crouch Hill flat on Saturday.

Officers were on joint patrol with the parkguard in Finsbury Park when they stopped and searched a man in his 50s.

He was carrying a large quantity of cash and some class A drugs, so police arrested him on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.

Police went to his home to search it and found weapons and more drugs.

Two young males fled the address when officers arrived and haven't yet been found.

Insp Thomas Ashley, who leads neighbourhood teams in the north of the borough, said: "Based on all of the evidence in front of them, the officers involved believed that the address was being cuckooed and, in conjunction with the council, have since implemented a number of safeguarding measures for the arrested male.

"With regards to incidents such as this, I would urge anyone with concerns for a neighbour or community member to contact us as soon as possible. We are committed to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and bringing to justice those who seek to take advantage of them."

The man has been released under investigation and enquiries continue.

Cuckooing is when gangs or individuals take over the home of a vulnerable person to use it as a base for selling drugs.